When it comes to parent and child dances, we like to use the phrase, “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it“. After all, who’s to say that popular songs such as “My Wish” and “I’ll Stand By You” aren’t great fits for the Father/Daughter or Mother/Son dances? (Umm… definitely not us!) But if you’re looking for something different to shake things up, we’ve got some underused choices that you can consider for a Father/Daughter or a Mother/Son dance! While every dog has its day, some dogs don’t get their days too often; and we’d like to celebrate some of them!
1.) “The Best Day” by Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version)
I know, I know, a Taylor Swift song for a song that isn’t a first dance?! But hear me out! This song is about a child growing up in a household where their mother has helped make their life magical and special, but also highlights the bittersweet nature of getting older:
“I grew up in a pretty house
And I had space to run and I
had the best days with you”
While this song has direct references to it being the singer talking to their mother, it also has lovely things to say about their father as well, so it could be used for either a Father/Daughter or a Mother/Son dance. ATE has an incredible range of voices on staff that can take on the feat of skillfully covering Swift’s voice—we even have the option to truly customize the experience and take the song down a few steps for a male voice! (From Adam to Tim and everywhere in between… they’ve got you covered!)
2.) “Chiquitita” by ABBA
Ah, ABBA, the champions of making us all joyfully cry. While “Slipping Through My Fingers” would also be a no brainer for a parent/child dance, “Chiquitita” has a certain bounce to it that makes it fun, while still maintaining those tugs at the heartstrings. It gives the opportunity for some creative starting points as well, such as the bridge, which has the playful piano to lead you into some lively dancing. And after all, who doesn’t love a good ABBA cover, especially with ATE’s beautiful sopranos and mezzos? We could even have a group of female voices sing together to truly encapsulate that group sound that makes ABBA all the more special.
“Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go
And the scars they’re leaving
You’ll be dancing once again”
This song is great choice for either parent/child dance, especially for those who want a more fun, hopeful choice. And, it’s a song that almost the entire room is sure to recognize, so you may have some extra help in the vocal department!
3.) “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars is the King of first dances, but hardly ever is he considered as an option for a good Mother/Son or Father/Daughter dance. “Count on Me” is a great choice to emphasize the deepness of love that parents and children can share; after all, friendship is a very important aspect of every strong relationship. Especially between a mother or father and their child, who is moving onto a major milestone in their life (like getting married)!
“You can count on me like one, two, three
I’ll be there
And I know when I need it, I can count on you like four, three, two”
The song uses a very playful tone that mimics that of stories and children’s rhymes, which also underlines the progression towards adulthood being completed, and is super fun to dance to! Though emulating Mars’ voice could prove to be a difficult task, our fabulous singers can croon out even the most difficult of vocal gymnastics—GTO has done it on several occasions!
At the end of the day, no matter what choice you make, it is the best choice! No two dances are the same, and no two songs can be the same, either. Whether you choose any of the songs we suggested above, or elect to pick something more along the lines of the songs we mentioned at the top, be confident in your choices! There is no such thing as bad songs for dances on your perfect and special day! Songs can mean all sorts of different things to everyone, and at the end of the day, that’s the key to finding the perfect song: listening to your heart!
